A QUESTION OF CRITICISM.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 9265, 27 April 1892, Page 4

A QUESTION OF CRITICISM.

Sir,— As a stranger in your town I went last Sunday evening to your Cathedral and heard a geutlemtn deliver a sermon on the " Resurrection body." The opening sentences of his address as nearly as I can recollect; them were as follows ;— *• Those of you were present in this place last Sunday evening will recollect that wo examined in turn all the various criticisms which had been made on the story of our Lord's resurrection, and fonnd them to be futile. Not only had every attack which had been made on the story failed, but had even left it ' more firmly established than ever, No reasonable man who was present on that occasion could doubt for one moment that the gospel narrative was unimpeachable. That being bo, we will proceed, &c." Now, sir, without enteriug upon b discussion of tiie subject of tlia referent! gentleman's remarks, I should like to record a protest against hi." manner of argument, which I can only describe as disingenuous to a degree. In the first place, as he ruiisfc have known perfectly well, it was simply a physical impossibility to discuss a quarter of the various views held upon the subject of the resurrection in the half hour or hour during which the sermon lasted; and, secondly, whether the attacks referred to have failed or not, the speaker must .bo quite well aware that a section of his own Church, of whom Dr. Abbott is the representative, have adopted the views which .the Cathedral preacher holds in sach contempt.— l am, &c, Fairdealkr,